Optical and Infrared Observations of the T Tauri Binary KH 15D

We present VRIJHK photometry of the T Tauri binary KH 15D acquired in the 2017/2018 observing season. The data were obtained from the ANDICAM instrument on the 1.3m telescope operated by the Small Moderate Aperture Research Telescope System (SMARTS) at the Cerro-Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO). This T Tauri system includes two young low-mass stars (primary and secondary components designed A and B) on a 48d period surrounded by an inclined, precessing circumbinary disk, which periodically occults the stellar companions. The recent data reveals Star B gradually emerging from the trailing "fuzzy" edge of the disk and is now completely unocculted for the first time since the system's discovery in 1995. From this photometry, we create lightcurves used to probe the composition of the disk, derive the magnitude of Star B, and demonstrate the overall mechanics of the system. In particular, the recent data shows reddening during egress of the last eclipse, indicating that the trailing edge of the disk is transparent and consists of dust-sized particles. Additionally, the most recent data displays Star B at a brighter magnitude than previously observed, allowing us to calculate an apparent I magnitude of 14.079, or 0.12 times brighter than previously computed.